Students at universities across Iran have launched protests and issued public statements demanding the release of detained medical workers—including doctors, nurses, and healthcare staff—who were arrested during the nationwide protests in Aban (November). The demonstrations come amid growing concern over systematic violations of academic freedom and the targeting of medical personnel for their perceived support of protesters.

According to reports from the United Students Channel, students at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences have been holding continuous protests, calling for the immediate release of detained healthcare workers. Protesters have used a range of slogans to express their demands, emphasizing solidarity with those arrested and condemning state repression.

One of the most widely chanted slogans during the demonstrations stated: “We swear by the blood of our friends, we will stand until the end,” underscoring the depth of anger and grief among students over the killings and arrests during the protests.

In response, the university’s disciplinary committee issued a stern warning to protesting students, ordering them to halt the demonstrations and submit their demands through formal written channels. Human rights advocates say such measures are part of a broader pattern of intimidation aimed at silencing dissent within academic institutions.

The protests at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences have continued for more than six days, despite mounting pressure from university authorities.

Meanwhile, students at several other institutions—including the University of Art Tehran, Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Shahrood University of Technology, and Islamic Azad University Tehran—have issued statements condemning the violent suppression of the Aban protests and warning against the criminalization of students, academics, and medical professionals.

Human rights groups have repeatedly stressed that the arrest of healthcare workers for treating injured protesters or expressing solidarity violates international human rights standards, including protections for medical neutrality, freedom of expression, and the right to peaceful assembly.